How can I sign my car out of this?

[Lady Corolla Owner]

I have recently taken delivery of a new hybrid corolla and I am shocked that my very controlling partner has downloaded the My T App and can see at all times where and when I am with my car.

I have a complete loss of privacy.

There surely must be a way of turning this off when I am out in the car?

Can anybody help?

[flash22]

Turn off the location services on your phone

[Lady Corolla Owner]

Thanks flash22 but I don't have location services turned on on my phone

 

[flash22]

Do you have your own MyT account, in the app go in to settings  and turn on privacy mode

https://www.toyota-europe.com/download/cms/euen/How To activate Privacy mode_tcm-11-1806231.pdf

[Devon Aygo]

You can't turn the function off in the car, it is always connected to Toyota's servers. Access to the information is controlled via a verified users App and tracking can be switched off by activating Privacy mode in the App, however anyone with App access can switch it back on.

Currently you cannot live track a car ( it will be a feature eventually ) but once a trip is completed and the car switched off it then uploads to Toyota.

[Lady Corolla Owner]

Thanks for your replies guys.

It is as I thought.  My privacy has been lost.  It's bad enough living with a controlling partner - Toyota has just made a bad situation even worse!

Congratulations Toyota. 

[Bernard Foy]

46 minutes ago, Lady Corolla Owner said:

Thanks for your replies guys.

It is as I thought.  My privacy has been lost.  It's bad enough living with a controlling partner - Toyota has just made a bad situation even worse!

Congratulations Toyota. 

Jane get out of that toxic relationship at all costs as soon as possible. No one should have to live in a controlled environment, it has inherent built in dangers.

[Roy124]

I was thinking the same thing.  I can't remember the details but my Garmin had a tracking function and some mobile phones too.  Both have warnings that CONSENT is required. 

To access Mytoyota app you need a password. Change your logon.  Then sort your partner out. 

[FROSTYBALLS]

The My T enables the owner to manage aspects of the vehicle's ownership: booking service appointments; see service history; set reminders for things like insurance renewals, VED, etc; access the online owners manual; map updates; and so on.

I don't see the App as being the problem here - the issue is your partner.

[MarcusWatson]

No the issue is also the app. Absolving Toyota of responsibility for supplying a tracking tool that is so easy for abusers to use against their victims is a mistake. It's incredibly concerning to read this post and I agree that you should think about getting out of the relationship, this behaviour by your partner is wrong.

[john p williams]

2 hours ago, MarcusWatson said:

No the issue is also the app. Absolving Toyota of responsibility for supplying a tracking tool that is so easy for abusers to use against their victims is a mistake. It's incredibly concerning to read this post and I agree that you should think about getting out of the relationship, this behaviour by your partner is wrong.

I suggest that you write to HonestJohn the motoring correspondent of The Daily Telegraph and inform him of the circumstances of your situation Jane. He will offer you some good advice.

[Roy124]

I found this:

"In the UK, the primary rule is that vehicle tracking is legal as long as drivers and other employees know they are being tracked, this means that businesses are allowed to install tracking devices on their vehicle fleet, but they must inform all of their personnel immediately and acquire consent for collecting data.22 Oct 2019"

The same website had this:

"In Europe, according to the Human Rights Act 1998, it is against the law to track a spouse’s car without their permission.

While it is a controversial topic, there are certain laws that apply to spying on a spouse with a GPS tracking device. The general consensus is that if you want to put a tracker on someone’s car, even if that person is your spouse, you need the owner’s consent. It is a criminal offence to place a tracking device on a vehicle that you do not own. But the law is unclear on if a vehicle is owned by both partners. If the vehicle is jointly owned by both parties, one party may legally install a GPS tracker to secretly track the other. A number of courts already ruled on the topic and allowed the evidence gathered from the co-owned vehicle to be admissible."

You can see this poses questions that Jane must consider.

 

Edited May 21, 2021 by Roy124

[john p williams]

13 minutes ago, Roy124 said:

I found this:

"In the UK, the primary rule is that vehicle tracking is legal as long as drivers and other employees know they are being tracked, this means that businesses are allowed to install tracking devices on their vehicle fleet, but they must inform all of their personnel immediately and acquire consent for collecting data.22 Oct 2019"

The same website had this:

"In Europe, according to the Human Rights Act 1998, it is against the law to track a spouse’s car without their permission.

While it is a controversial topic, there are certain laws that apply to spying on a spouse with a GPS tracking device. The general consensus is that if you want to put a tracker on someone’s car, even if that person is your spouse, you need the owner’s consent. It is a criminal offence to place a tracking device on a vehicle that you do not own. But the law is unclear on if a vehicle is owned by both partners. If the vehicle is jointly owned by both parties, one party may legally install a GPS tracker to secretly track the other. A number of courts already ruled on the topic and allowed the evidence gathered from the co-owned vehicle to be admissible."

You can see this poses questions that Jane must consider.

 

A good post Roy.

[Lady Corolla Owner]

Thanks for all your messages guys. I'm definitely going to go to Honest John at The Telegraph and make him aware of the situation that Toyota, albeit maybe unwittingly, has put me in.

Getting out of my relationship is not an option for me at the moment.  I have a family to consider but thanks for everything you have all said.

Jane

[john p williams]

10 minutes ago, Lady Corolla Owner said:

Thanks for all your messages guys. I'm definitely going to go to Honest John at The Telegraph and make him aware of the situation that Toyota, albeit maybe unwittingly, has put me in.

Getting out of my relationship is not an option for me at the moment.  I have a family to consider but thanks for everything you have all said.

Jane

HJ often replies by email within 24 hours,Jane.

[Catlover]

I know we will all have a viewpoint on this, but I cannot blame Toyota, they have provided a service many people enjoy its features, and used properly causes no problems.  You may as well blame manufacturers of cars for increase in crime just because a robber uses it as a getaway vehicle. You might think that is absurd, but its just as absurd too blame Toyota for making a piece of software available which a person uses for bad purposes.

I do have sympathy for the situation you in, truly, but your problems will have started before you got the Corolla I suspect. Correct?

[Catlover]

Another thought, if your partner wanted to track you he could have chosen a tracker, hid it in the car without you knowing, and be able to see in real time where you going/where you been. Another reason I seriously cant find fault in what Toyota have done. You have a wonky partner, not a wonky piece of software.

Have you tried changing the log in details as suggested earlier by Roy124 ??

[Roy124]

Catlover, a good point.  I certainly used my SatNav to find where my off-airport car parking was.  I also used the Toyota tracker to see where my garage took the car and how it was driven.  I understand some garages also disable the SatNav for 'data privacy'.  Perhaps Toyota should make it easy to disable the tracking as required.

[TonyHSD]

Well, this is something normal at the times we live in, that’s like a negative side of the digital era., not only Toyota but all new cars are connected, there are even worse than Toyota like Mercedes or Tesla, it is very interesting how the vehicle progressed in future. Agreed that should be made clearer and easier to understand and disable these futures. The times when you can go anywhere and be uncovered are over, now most of the cars send live data to servers, how we drive, where we drive etc, if it’s not the car will be the phone or any other tech that been carried with us. 👍

[FROSTYBALLS]

Most manufacturers have similar digital systems to the My T app - certainly Hyundai do - and as regards tracking systems, within the EU and the UK it is now mandatory for new cars to be fitted with e-Call, which, in case of an accident, etc, connects the occupants to an emergency response team and provides an exact location for your vehicle.

At the end of the day, it isn't Toyota's fault that an individual known to yourself (ie your partner), has signed up to (presumably on your behalf) and can access the MyT app for your car. 

As regards ownership, if the car has been ordered using a lease or hire agreement, the finance company actually owns the vehicle - not yourself. You may be the registered keeper (i the V5C may be in your name), but that isn't ownership.

 

 

 

[flash22]

There is another option - locate the GPS aerial and wrap it in tin foil

[Andrew B.]

Confidential support @Lady Corolla Owner 0808 2000 247 whenever you need to talk. 

Controlling and coercive behaviour is a criminal offence.  Controlling personalities are easily beaten with the right support.

You're not alone.

[FROSTYBALLS]

1 hour ago, Andrew B. said:

Confidential support @Lady Corolla Owner 0808 2000 247 whenever you need to talk. 

National Domestic Abuse Helpline - https://www.nationaldahelpline.org.uk

[Bernard Foy]

2 hours ago, Andrew B. said:

Confidential support @Lady Corolla Owner 0808 2000 247 whenever you need to talk. 

Controlling and coercive behaviour is a criminal offence.  Controlling personalities are easily beaten with the right support.

You're not alone.

 

1 hour ago, FROSTYBALLS said:

National Domestic Abuse Helpline - https://www.nationaldahelpline.org.uk

Well done on both these posts, this is the type of assistance that Jane needs. Although all the other replies are well meaning and possibly helpful. 

[Lady Corolla Owner]

Thanks again everybody.

I appreciate that Toyota are only doing what all manufacturers will end up doing as standard, but I maintain it should be possible for any driver to disable the tracking when they want to, for whatever reason - good or bad.  

I have contacted Toyota and their feedback is that it is possible to disable the settings on your phone but that doesn't help when you want somebody else's app to be disabled from obsessively knowing where you are.

I am really grateful for all your comments.

Jane